Happy Valentine’s Day! I may have done a similar post a few years ago, but my heart collection has grown since then. I’m not exactly sure when I started collecting heart-shaped or heart-imprinted things, but it was a long time ago.
Today, I’m doing a Valentine’s Show & Tell, lol. Showing how my heart collection continues to grow, and rediscovering a few things that I forgot I had.
CVS is one of my favorite places to buy heart-shaped things, especially after Valentine’s Day when they have a big sale. But this year, I picked up a few inexpensive things while I was shopping a couple of weeks ago. I love holiday socks so the multi-colored socks that combine hearts with my favorite polka dots and stripes jumped out at me. I needed another pair of sleep socks, and at $2.99 minus my coupons, the price was right for the red and white striped & hearted fuzzy socks. The tissues with the pink hearts aren’t from CVS but from one of my favorite cheapie stores, Flying Tiger from Copenhagen. Flying Tiger opened at a local mall in October, and they sell very inexpensive household, holiday, craft, and beauty items for less than $10. Heck, most are less than $5. And the inventory changes every couple of weeks.
I have so many heart-shaped pieces of jewelry and accessories, it’s difficult to choose which to wear! So in February especially, I try to wear it all, but not all at the same time 😉
Last month, I received an unexpected gift package from a very generous online friend who lives in Ohio, so I haven’t even met her in person. She told me that she is an antique collector and dealer, and she sent me several pieces that she wasn’t wearing or selling. How generous she is! I couldn’t believe it when I opened the box. In fact, I discovered the heart and bird necklace with the unusual black chain, and I was so thrilled with it that I stopped there, not realizing there were more goodies yet to be discovered under the cotton in the box! The hearts and birds seem to be made out of porcelain. I’ve never seen anything like it.
As I finally dug into the box, I found the red wooden heart hand painted with flowers and golden basket for of hearts. Both are perfect to wear on my jean jacket, once the weather warms up. Both of these came from my antique collecting friend. I’m wondering what period they are from? The basket of hearts, maybe from the 1950s?
The elongated pink heart with the gold trim came from I don’t remember where! I have no idea. But I may put it on a gold chain and wear it tonight with my new raspberry boucle sweater from Sand Castles that I wrote about yesterday and a pair of beautiful pinky-purple druzy heart-shaped earrings from Una Alla Volta that I wrote about when I received them. I have so many gorgeous accessories and jewelry pieces from Una Alla Volta – you should check out this online retailer that only sells fine artisan-made goods, if you haven’t already.
My heart-shaped black metal and crystal-encrusted earrings on gold wires are from Alexis Bittar, one of my favorite jewelry designers/brands. I bought them a few years ago, and I wear them often. They are very lightweight, and I love it when the red and orange crystals catch the light – they’re beautiful.
I’m still not finished with the gifts from my friend in Ohio. I have been wearing this most unusual black wire and red/purple crystals bracelet since I unearthed it in the gift box. I have never seen anything like this! It goes with so many of my outfits and it’s very comfortable to wear. In fact, I am wearing it tonight when Jeff and I go out to dinner. I am guessing that the bracelet is from the 1960s??
The last item from my friend is a gold heart-shaped spade pin with a pearl that arrived attached to an antique queen of hearts Canasta card. My mom used to play Canasta, and this pretty pin on the Canasta Queen of Hearts is a nice memory of her even though it’s from my Ohio friend. I will eventually take it off the card, and wear the pin on my beret 🙂
Next are a pair of earrings that I bought online a couple of years ago from Disney Couture Jewelry. I love the look of these earrings. The mini red hearts remind me of Red Hots, the hot little heart candies from back in the day. The earrings have black chains and pins on them as well as red crystals at the top. Sadly, whatever the posts and backings of the earrings are made of (surgical steel, I think) does not agree with my ears, and I find them incredibly itchy to wear. So I mostly just look at them, boo hoo. Maybe some day, I’ll take them to a jeweler and have the posts replaced with sterling silver so I can wear them.
Years ago, I bought the pretty girly double heart crystal barrettes at a shop in Rockport, I think. They are so cute, but I think I might be too old for them. What do you think?
My Brighton heart charm bracelet is a bit different and less Valentine-y because the charms are peach and green – one of my favorite color combinations. I think I bought it at a Brighton shop in the West Palm Beach airport a while back. I love it. It’s so springy.
Finally, two non-jewelry items that I keep on my vanity along with about a million other heart-shaped things that you can see in the background. Several years ago, I was in San Francisco as part of a long business trip, and Jeff flew out for Valentine’s weekend to celebrate with me. He bought me the red heart paperweight at the gift shop of the de Young art museum. The lovely artisan-made glass perfume bottle was a gift from an old boyfriend. I still love it!
So I better quit while I’m ahead! This is long enough. Hope you have a nice Valentine’s Day whether you are celebrating with a loved one or with friends, or having warm memories of Valentine’s past that were celebrated with those who are no longer with you, or ignoring it altogether!
You have the most amazing collection of heart themed objects! Everything pictured here is amazing! Happy Valentine’s Day, Allison!
Thank you, Helen, and I’ve only scratched the surface of all my heart-shaped stuff 😉 I hope you and your husband have time to celebrate your birthday and Valentine’s Day. xoxo
Loving the fuzzy socks (who doesnt) and druzy heart shaped earrings!
Beautiful antique pieces and I’m in love with the Brighton bracelet. Hope you and Jeff have a delightful evening.
As a fellow heart lover this is just the most beautiful post. I have a lot of heart jewelry that I bought when I was teaching and wore all the time. I have many heart items that are crystal since my husband knows that’s what makes me happy. Your online friend is a true gem. She is so sweet and generous and I know you love them all.
Fun collection! I love the bracelet. It’s beautiful and has character. I love old jewelry that has been on a journey.
What a beautiful collection! I love the black wire heart bracelet, and you should definitely wear those hair baretts – age is just a number!
Love your heart jewelry, thanks for sharing.
That necklace is adorable. I looked for heart stuff to wear yesterday and ended up wearing skulls. lol!
So pretty! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Yay! The necklace is just perfection on you. 😀
And hehehe I like your little wind-up. It’s cute! I remember the drusy hearts from before- they’re really really pretty. I like the play of the sparkle vs the texture and find those stones just fascinating to look at. I’m horrible in a rock/gem shop btw. Hunks of quartz, strands of turquoise, trilobites, petoskey stones… I have to touch EVERYTHING. LOL
I love hearts! They are always so neat and can be done in so many things and they all look cute!
I never thought of checking CVS for patterned socks but I will now. I love cute socks!!
Such a great collection! It’s certainly the time of year to show it off.
Love your heart collection!! Hearts are one of my favorite things!!❤️❤️
<3 Thank you so much, Teresa, for reading the heart post! My collection is embarrassingly huge at this point, and this is just a small portion of it ;) For Vday, Jeff added to it by giving me a heart shaped serving spoon. There's something about the heart-shape as well as the red color that's so appealing!